Detergent computer



Sept. 10, 1968 c. A. COBB ETAL 3,400,774

DETERGENT COMPUTER Filed July 10, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGI FIG.6

|NVENTORS CLIFTON A.COBB ANTHONY MASON JAMES L. MCCQNNELL ATTORNEYS Sept. 10, 1968 c. A. COBB ETAL 3,400,774

DETERGENT COMPUTER Filed July 10, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGB 4201-1200 I"'O(I) MN-U) U OF U111 11 71/1I1/1/I/1II/IIIIII/ P 10, 1968 c. A. COBB ETAL 3,400,774

DETERGENT COMPUTER Filed July 10, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG? FIGB

TO MACHINE TlMER SWITCH United States Patent 3,400,774 DETERGENT COMPUTER Clifton A.,Cobb, St. Joseph, Anthony Mason, Benton Harbor, and James L. McConnell, St. Joseph, Mich., assignors to Whirlpool Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed July 10, 1967, Ser. No. 652,230 15 Claims.'(Cl. 177-71) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE One of the features of this invention is to provide a detergent computer for determining the proper weight of detergent for use in a given volume of water with this weight being affected by two or more of a plurality of laundry variables such as laundry load size, soil content of the material being washed, hardness of the water, volume of the washing solution and the like.

Several embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a portion of a washing machine top having a detergent computer embodying the invention associated with the machine.

FIGURE 2 is an exploded view of the computer in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of one end of the computer of FIGURES 1 and 2 but with the hinged lid omitted for clarity of illustration.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIGURE 3, but showing the hinged lid in place.

FIGURE 5 is a semi-schematic view illustrating a second embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 6 is a schematic view illustrating a further embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 7 is a semi-schematic vie-w illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7' but illustrating a still further embodiment of the invention.

In the embodiment of the invention of FIGURES 1-4 the detergent computer 10 is mounted on the top surface 11 of a washing machine 12.

As shown most clearly in FIGURES 2-4, the computer comprises a frame 13 generally in the form of a rectangular plate having at one end a rectangular opening 14 adapted to be located above the receiver 15 of a detergent dispenser 16. This detergent dispenser is of the usual type and is adapted to be located within the washing machine 12 beneath thetop surface 11 thereof and operates by having water directed through an inlet 18'into the deter- Y gent receiver 15 and from. there through an outlet 17 carrying the detergent into the washing machine.

At the end of the frame 13 opposite the opening 14 there are provided a plurality of knobs, here shown as two, 19 and 20. Each knob is rotatable about a vertical 3,400,774 Patented Sept.v 10, 1968 The knob 19 rotates a cam 23 while the knob 20 rotates a similar cam 24. As is shown in FIGURE 4, each knob is connected to its cam through a vertical shaft 25; Each cam 23 and 24 as shown in FIGURE 4 is located beneath the top surface 26 of the frame 13.

The two cams 23 and 24 are spaced apart and bear against opposite end portions of a traverse elongated plate 27 also located beneath the top surface 26. The plate 27 bears agains the inner end of helical spring 28 with the result that a compressive force is applied to the spring 28 by way of the elongated plate 27 by cams 23 and 24 acting either individuallyor jointly.

The other end of the spring 28 opposite the plate 27 bears against a base 29 which has a threaded stem 30 that is held in a vertical lever 31. The position of the stem 30 relative to the lever 31 is adjusted by means of an arm 32 that extends from beneath the top surface 26 to above the surface with the upper end of the arm being shaped as a pointer 33.

Hinged to the upper end of the lever 31 is a detergent support member 34 also in the form of a lever with the two levers 31 and 34 connected by means of a hinge pin 35. As shown most clearly in FIGURE 2 the detergent support member lever 34 is also in the form of a flat plate and carries on the inner surface of its end that is opposite the detergent opening 14 a removable cup 36 that can be snapped onto and from the detergent lever 34.

The detergent lever 34 is hingedly connected to the frame 13 by means of end hinge pins 37, 38. The vertical lever 31 with its spring adjusting arm 32 is hingedly mounted between spaced ears 39 on the lever 34 which support the above-mentioned hinge pin 35.

The vertical lever 31 is movable inwardly by the weight of detergent in the cup 36 and when moved a predetermined distance moves a switch arm 40 to close a switch 41 and energize a signal which in this embodiment includes an electric light 42.

The operation of the embodiment of FIGURES 1-4 is as follows. In closed position the detergent lever 34 which is in the form of a rectangular plate extends over the frame 13 to act as a cover with the cup 36 inverted and extending through the opening 14 and into receiver 15 of deter-gent dispenser 16. Then, when it is opened to the open position shown in- FIGURES 1, 2 and 4 the inner edge part 43 of the lever cover 34 that is located between the spaced ears 39 acts to apply force to the vertical lever 31 immediately beneath the hinge pin 35. As detergent is added to the cup 36 there is eventually a suflicient weight of detergent in the cup to overcome the resistance of the spring 28 to move the vertical lever 31 to the left as viewed in FIGURE 4 about the hinge pin 35 to close the switch 41 and activate the signal light 42. This indicates that a sufficient amount of detergent has been introduced into the cup 36 to overcome the resistance of the spring 28 with the force of this resistance being regulated 'by the precompression on the spring supplied through the spring plate 27.

The spring 28 comprises a force means for applying a counterbalance force to the proper weight of detergent in the cup 36 and this counterbalance force is regulated by adjusting the precompression on the spring 28. This precompression is provided by a plurality of separate force applying means each independently variable in proportion to one of the washing variables and all acting jointly on the force means spring 28 to apply the counterbalance force. In this embodiment there are two force applying means comprising the two cams 23 and 24 hearing on the side of the plate 27 opposite the spring 28. The first cam 23 is variable according to load size as indicated in FIGURE 3. The other cam 24 is variable according to soil content of the laundry load.

3 q Thus, when the pointer 21 is in the large load size position, as shown, in FIGURE 3, the spring 28 is under its greatest precompression from cam 23 and thus requires a heavier amount of detergent in the cup 36 to overcome the force of the spring and activate the signal 42. When the soil content is heavy as indicated by the setting of the cam 24 in FIGURE 3, the spring 28 is under relatively heavy precompression from cam 24, likewise increasing the amount of detergent required. Thus, as can be readily seen, each of the force applying means embodied in the cams 23 and 24 is independently variable and the two acting together determine the precompression on the spring and thus the weight of detergent required. The arm 32 with its exterior pointer 33 rotates the base stem' 30 that is held in the lever 31 to itself regulate the precompression on the spring 28. Because the arm 32 in this embodiment is moved in relation to the hardness of the water, as shown in FIGURE 3 in which pointer 33 may be preset for through 30 grains water hardness, it is usually set once for the particular locality that the washing machine is used in and then not changed.

The embodiment of FIGURE illustrates a portable detergent computer that is not built into the washing machine as is the first embodiment. In this embodiment there is provided a lever 45 that is rotatable about a fulcrum 46 with one end of the lever supporting a detergent receiving cup 47 and the other end having an adjustable weight 48 that is adjustable according to the hardness of the water to balance a portion of the weight of the detergent in the cup 47. On the end of the lever 45 opposite the cup 47 in position to be compressed by detergent in the cup 47 turning the lever 45 in a clockwise direction is a spring 49 that is similar to the spring 28 of the first embodiment. This spring has one end bearing against the lever 45 and its opposite end bearing against a compression plate or bar 50 that is similar to the plate 27 of the first embodiment. This plate 50 is also adjustably positioned by a cam 51 similar to the cam 23 and a cam 52 similar to the cam 24. Again in this embodiment when the proper weight of detergent is in the cup 47 the spring 49 is compressed by a movement of the lever 45 about the fulcrum 46 to close a signal switch 53 and energize a signal such as the electric light 42.

The embodiment of FIGURE 6 illustrates a detergent computer having three variables individually and jointly applying precompression to a spring 54 similar to the springs of the other embodiments by movement of a variable plate 55. The position of this plate 55 is determined by the three cams 56, 57 and 58 with one variable cam 56 being movable to correspond to the load size, the second cam 57 variable with respect to the soil content, both as described in connection with the first two embodiments, and the third cam 58 being movable according to a third variable such as the volume of washing liquid in the washing machine.

As explained earlier, the removable cup 36 in the first embodiment permits measuring the proper weight of detergent for a prewash cycle. When this is done the cup 36 is removed with the proper weight of detergent and the detergent dumped into the machine for the prewash. The cup is then reinserted, as shown in FIGURE 2, and the amount of detergent for the regular washing operation determined by the setting of the washing machine variables. Then when the detergent lever 34 is closed over the frame 13 the detergent is automatically dumped into the receiver 15. However, the detergent will not be dispensed into the machine until the start of the washing cycle when water is directed through the inlet 18 and out the outlet 17 carrying the detergent with it.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 7 the detergent is dispensed from a dispensing means 60 here shown in the form of a hopper for holding detergent with flow from I this hopper being controlled by an energizable valve 61. This valve is operated by a solenoid 62 or similar electrical device which may be connected into the electrical circuitry 63 of the washing machine 12. The solenoid is energized by an electric line 64 controlled by a switch 65 and the other side of the solenoid 62 is connected by a line 66 to a switch 67 which is itself connected to the other side of the electrical circuitry by a line 68.

In this embodiment of FIGURE 7 there is provided a lever 69 fulcr'umed at 70 with a detergent receiver or cup 71 on one end of the lever beneath the dispensing valve 61 and a helical spring 72 similar to the spring 49 of the FIGURE 5 embodiment acting on the other end of the lever against the weight of the detergent and cup 71. Compression on the spring 72 is controlled by an elongated plate 73 and a pair of earns 74 and 75 similar in structure and operation to the corresponding plate 50 and cams 51 and 52 of the FIGURE 5 embodiment.

When the weight of detergent in the cup 71 is sufficient toovercome the precompression of the spring 72 and turn the lever 69 in a clockwise direction, this movement of the spring end of thelever raises a switch lever 76 to open switch 67 and de-energize solenoid 62 to permit valve 61 to close.

Thus in the embodiment of FIGURE 7 the solenoid is energized by closing switch 65 to open valve 61 and permit detergent to flow through this valve into the receiver or cup 71. When suflicient detergent has been received, as determined by the setting of the two variables on the cams 74 and 75, as previously described in connection with the other embodiments, the left end of the lever 69 raises to open switch 67 and de-energize solenoid 62 so that the valve 61 closes and the dispensing of the detergent is terminated.

The embodiment of FIGURE 8 is similar to that of FIGURE 7 in that it also provides a dispensing means 60, a dispensing valve 61 operated by a solenoid 62, a switch 67 and switch operating lever 76, a fulcrumed lever 69, a counterbalancing spring 72 and plate 73 to control the precompression on the spring by a plurality of variables as exemplified by the cams 74 and 75. However, in this embodiment the detergent receiver or cup 77 which is generally similar to the cup 71 in FIGURE 7 is provided with a bottom gate 78 which itself is controlled by a solenoid 79. The energizing of this solenoid 79 is controlled in this embodiment by a timer switch 80 which is part of a usual timer (not shown) that is in the electrical circuit 63 to the washing machine.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 8 the energization of the dispensing solenoid 62 is controlled by a switch 81 similar to the switch 65 in FIGURE 7. When the switch 81 is closed the solenoid 62 is energized to open the valve 61 and dispense detergent from the container 60 into the receiver cup 77. When the weight of detergent in the cup is sufiicient to overcome the preset precompression on the spring 72 the left end of the lever 69 is raised upwardly about the fulcrum 69 to activate the switch lever 76 and open the circuit to the solenoid 62 thereby permitting the valve 61 to close. Then, at the proper time in the washing cycle for dispensing the detergent the timer switch 80 is closed to energize solenoid 79 and open the bottom gate 78 to transfer the detergent in the cup 77 to the washing machine as illustrated diagrammatically by the arrow 82.

As can be seen from the above description, the detergent computer determines the proper Weight of detergent required for the volume of wash water automatically, as effected by a plurality of washing variables. The proper weight of detergent is determined easily and automatically and is indicated by a signal device in the preferred embodiment. The determining of the proper weight of de tergent results in better washing performance since, although high sudsing detergents vary in volume from low sudsing detergents due to density variations, these ditferences are equalized when detergents are measured by weight.

Having described our invention as related to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, it is our intention that the invention be not limited by any of the details of description, unless otherwise specified, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as set out in the accompanying claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A detergent computer for determining the proper weight of detergent for use in a washing machine as affected by a plurality of washing variables, comprising: force means for applying a counterbalance force to said proper weight of detergent; a plurality of separate force applying means all acting jointly on said force means for supplying said counterbalance force; and means for independently varying each separate force and indicating its intensity in proportion to a washing variable.

2. The computer of claim 1 wherein there is provided a support member acted on by said force means and a detergent receiver on said support member.

3. The computer of claim 2 wherein said support member comprises a fulcrumed lever and said detergent receiver comprises a removable cup member on the lever.

4. The computer of claim 1 wherein said force means comprises a distortable spring means and each of said force applying means applies a distorting force to said spring means to supply said counterbalance force.

5. The computer of claim 4 wherein said spring means has opposite ends with one end operatively acting against the weight of said detergent and the other end moved by varying each of said separate force applying means to apply said counterbalance force through said spring means.

6. The computer of claim 5 wherein there is provided a force applying member bearing against said other end of the spring means, and said separate force applying means act through said member to apply counterbalancing compression to said spring means.

7. The computer of claim 6 wherein said separate force applying means each comprises a cam for changing the position of said member and thus said counterbalancing compression.

8. The computer of claim 7 wherein there is provided a support member acted on by said force means and a detergent receiver on said support member, said detergent receiver comprising a removable cup member.

9. The computer of claim 7 wherein there is provided a support member acted on by said force means and a detergent receiver on said support member, said support member comprising a movable lever which in one position supports said detergent against the force of said force means and in another position dispenses said detergent to said machine.

10. The computer of claim 2 wherein there are provided dispensing means for dispensing detergent to said receiver, means for initiating said dispensing, and means operated by said proper weight of detergent for terminating said dispensing when said proper weight is received in said receiver.

11. The computer of claim 10 wherein said dispensing means comprises a valve energizable between open and closed positions, and means for energizing said valve to closed position when said proper weight is in said receiver.

12. The computer of claim 2 wherein there are provided dispensing means for dispensing detergent to said receiver, and means operated by said proper Weight of detergent for terminating said dispensing preparatory to transferring said proper weight into said washing machine.

13. The computer of claim 2 wherein there are provided dispensing means for dispensing detergent to said receiver, means for initiating said dispensing, means operated by said proper weight of detergent for terminating said dispensing when said proper weight is received in said receiver, timer means and means operated by said timer means for transferring said proper weight into said washing machine.

14. The computer of claim 13 wherein said dispensing means comprises a valve energizable between open and closed positions, and means for energizing said valve to closed position when said proper weight is in said receiver.

15. The computer of claim 14 wherein said washing machine includes electrical circuitry, and said valve and transferring means are electrically operable from said circuitry.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,770,968 11/1956 Grey 235-200 X 2,922,610 1/1960 Bate 177-116 2,961,013 11/1960 Johnson 222-52 X ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

HADD S. LANE, Assistant Examiner. 

